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We came for lunch and as usual service was exceptional. The restaurant could probably use a design refresh, but it's fine and our group enjoyed our seating. We had the prix fixe menu and it's a great value (plenty of leftovers), but certain dishes were tastier than others. Carnitas tacos, tortilla soup and the flan are standouts. We will be back and look forward to trying more items!
Lived up to the hype or how creative the Chef is. Very flavorful and just all around delicious. Drinks are strong, atmosphere is fun, food is great, and our bar tender was very helpful. Definitely recommend.
Overall a great experience. Service was attentive and we showed up a bit early for our reservation and they were able to get us in even though they were pretty busy. I wasn't sure if they would live up to the hype, but we were impressed. The ceviche flight was unique, with three distinct flavors and seafood. The salmon one had a slight asian fusion flavor that reminded me of sushi with a Mexican twist. Known for their Mole, they didn't disappoint. The short rib was tender and went well mashed potatoes. The enchiladas combined some fresh flavors with tender chicken, making them stand out over whats often dry meat requiring extra source. They balanced everything out well. The drinks were fantastic, with some unique twists on the margarita. Chicago has plenty of restaurants to chose from, but Frontera is worth a visit.
Food - pork tacos - excellent execution of tender pork belly. Every piece was so succulent and full of crisy pork goodness. Warm, homemade tortillas added to the perfect bite on top of flavor town green tomatillo salsa. The black beans was a good balance the rich pork flavors. Also, if the standard salsa was room tamed for.your liking; they have a good habanero salsa for the asking. Maybe too much foe most. Dessert- ice cream with fudge.. Great tasting of vanilla and chocolate, but wasnt quite over the top. The ice cream was nice and thick, but was a bit gritty for ice cream at an upscale place. Partly why I couldnt give it a perfect score. Service - attentive and intuitive. The waiter seems to know what we like and need without asking too much. Spicy pineapple Cocktail- good, strong, but not great. Couldn't really taste any pineapple. Cleanliness- clean and organized. Cost - affordable for special occasion. Restroom - fancy and clean. Ambiance - warm and relaxing, but a bit cheap with the vinyl or cheap wood veneer tables.
We'd heard that Frontera's was not to be missed while in Chicago, so we made our way over on one of our evenings there. We didn't have a reservation so it was a no-go, but we managed to reserve a table for the following morning. We showed up and the place was completely empty, but it did fill up by the time we were finished. I figured I'd get a brunch item, but the Enchiladas de Mole ("Handmade corn tortillas, Amish country chicken (caramelized onions), homemade mole poblano (27 ingredients), crunchy garnishes") sounded so impressive I figured I'd better get that instead. And indeed it's a phenomenal dish. The chicken had kind of a reheated, leftover taste, but that mole sauce more than made up for it. It's so rich and flavorful, and it seemed to get more and more tasty the longer I ate. It's incredible. I was super full at that point, but I did try a bite of my dining companions' two desserts: the Coconut Horchata Cuatro Leches Cake and the Frontera's Chocolate Pecan Pie. They were both way, way above average, and I think the pecan pie might've been one of the best I've ever had? I definitely regretted not getting my own slice. Frontera sure seems like a really cool place. Hopefully we'll come back to Chicago some day so I can try more of the dishes.
I don't think I've ever been to Chicago without eating here and since it's my birthday week I didn't want to start now. So even though we couldn't get a reservation we decided to see how long a wait would be. We talked to the welcoming host and she said the bar and tables we're all was full but to hang out by the bar (of course we e would order the most amazing margaritas) and hopefully it wouldn't be longer than 35 minutes. I had no problem with that! We got our margaritas after about 10 minutes and then before we even had time to drink much, she came back to tell us she had moved some things around to get us a table in the dining room! Yes! We started with the queso fundido and I know that sounds so typical but with the peppers and onions on top, it's just so well balanced and stringy good! They serve it with warm blue corn tortillas. Next came the coliflor dish which was perfectly cooked cauliflower with poblano sauce and cheese. It was a taste celebration in my mouth! Yum! Finally, we ended with a glass of wine and lamb. So savory and rich without being heavy! The service is always stellar at Frontera and I love the lively atmosphere and beautiful art that is the everywhere! Thanks for a wonderful birthday dinner!
One of the great classic iconic restaurants in Chicago, I have been wanting to dine here since they opened. Don't know why it's taken so long, I guess good things come to those who wait! Service was excellent and very engaging and helpful. Food lived up to all the hype and awards, and then add the cool authentic decor and welcoming vibe. Two of the three of us are vegetarians, so we were pleasantly surprised there's an entire separate menu with a wide selection. Salsa's I've made many times from Rick Bayliss cookbook are benchmark. Moles were great, both chicken and portobello, which I really appreciated a veggie version. Eggplant was light, delicate and crunchy. Our fantastic server Beto recommended many of our dishes and he was on the mark! Including the wine pairing with the mole and the dessert. Margarita they shake at the table was delicious. The daughter's blackberry limeade drink made in-house, was refreshing and at a reasonable price. The restaurant adds 20% gratuity to each check, which is fine to my eyes, no math necessary These days, it seems easy to get reservations here, so we will be returning!!
We went to Frontera for the first time mostly because of the Rick Bayless hype. I was curious. It's an upscale place but still feels family friendly, with Dim lights and a chill energy. You can see into the kitchen, which I always like. Staff was Super friendly, always refilling drinks, clearing plates right away. No awkward waiting around. I started with the ceviche and honestly... that set the tone. Fresh, bright, really clean flavors. The citrus hit just right, not overpowering. Fish was tender, not mushy. Good balance of acidity and salt. Every bite tasted incredible, I could've stopped there but no, I kept going back for "one more bite" and suddenly it was gone. Then the cochinita pibil arrived. Texture-wise, really good. Juicy, tender, nice portion. But flavor-wise, it felt like it was missing that deep smoky note I expect from cochinita. Still good, just didn't hit as hard as the ceviche did. I really enjoyed this place. Specifically the ceviche, that still lives in my head.
Frontera grill was hands down AMAZING. We were surprised by how good the service was too when we went. You MUST get "The Classic Frontera Experience". It is so worth it. Food is authentic, delicious, and you definitely get your moneys worth. At first we thought we had to pick one of the appetizers on the menu, but you actually get all 4!! Like a lil tasting menu but portions are good. I was stuffed to the brim by the end, and I'm a huge eater (can eat over a whole dominoes pizza). For appetizers, we had guac and chips, ceviche, sopecitos, quesadillas (not the kind you're thinking of). My favorite was the ceviche (they really do it well) and guac. I also loved the mini mole course served (enchilada de mole). This was my first time trying mole, and man, I'm definitely a mole lover already. I also really love how the onions complement the rich savory flavor of the mole. For entrees I had chamorro al albañil and my gf had carne asada brava. We shared though, ofc. The salsa the carne asada is served with is smoky and fragrant, so delicious. The portion of the chamorro al albañil was huge. I definitely should've taken some to-go since I was overly full after dessert. Everything comes with tortillas. For dessert we got flan and the ice cream, with cajeta (goat milk caramel). Both were superb. I really like the cajeta on the ice cream, really is special. Way better than hot fudge. Our servers were really nice and attentive. They also cleaned up our utensils and table after each dish, which I didn't expect since we weren't at fine dining. The service really surprised me. I really like the ambiance and the latin music playing. Honestly I'd definitely come back next time I return to Chicago. Next time though, I'd probably visit Rick's Topolobompo, since I've never been and it's on my bucket list.
Service was a tad shaky but the ceviche and house made chips were fantastic as was the birria enchiladas. Also the cocktail with mezcal and whiskey was my favorite cocktail ever
Guacamole was delicious! The main was pretty bad. We had a braised meat dish, Barbados. The "meat" was mushy and there was barely a few chunks of meat.
Rick Bayless still owns of Frontera Grill, a Chicago-based Mexican restaurant he opened in 1987 with his wife Deann, inspired by their travels in Mexico. He is the Michelin star chef and owner, his restaurant is known for contemporary Mexican cuisine. His daughter, Lanie is the cocktail impresario focusing on Mezcal. We made our dinner reservations before getting to Chicago. We were here 15 years ago, stopped at his fast food Mexican in O'hare. I have all of Frontera's cookbooks at home & use Rick Bayless' recipes! What I love about Frontera is they provide a list of the farms where their food comes from, it's truly farm to table. A 20% gratuity is added to every bill. The tables were very close together, when the wait staff came over, they either banged our table or hit the man with his back to us. We came early, hoping to get a seat at the bar and a drink first, but we were told that the bar was full and we were brought to our table. We were dressed for a special Friday night dinner but most were in shorts and sneakers. We finished our 3 course meal in less than an hour. Tonight we started with margaritas I had a mezcal margarita with Grand Marnie, limes & Peychaud while my husband had the Tupelo margarita with reposado tequila, and Torres, orange liquor. Our drinks were shaken, tableside and we shared guacamole, salsas and cold chips. Our main course was the cochinita pibil which was a slow cooked Gunthorpe Farm pork in banana leaves with beans, pickled onions and habanero salsa. We ended our meal with Frontera's chocolate pecan pie topped raspberry sorbet with Kahlúa whipped cream. Portion were small, tables were less than a foot apart and service was efficient. Happily the music was loud so we couldn't hear the conversation all around us. Dinner was good, but I remember being wowed years ago.
One of the best Mexican food we have had in Chicago. Rick Bayless is truly a Top Chef. First time visiting and we were blown away by the complex flavors and the attention to details in the dishes. We had the queso fundido with their house made tortilla. It was melt in your mouth good. The 2 salsas were on point, not too spicy. For our main we had the pollo en salsa de guajillo y arandanos. Grilled half chicken with honeynut squash mash. The sweetness of the squash was a nice contrast to the slight bitterness of the guajillo-cranberry sauce. We also had the corn masa quesadillas. When paired together with the black bean and their avocado-tomatillo salsa, it was the perfect bite. For desert we had their pastel de tres leche, sponge cake with coffee infused tres leche. It came with creamsicle ice cream and coffee flavored jelly pieces. It was a perfect balance of creaminess with some texture from the crumbles and coffee jelly. Service was good with very attentive servers coming by often for water refills and cleaning up of the tables. The restaurant is not that big so it does get crowded and a little loud. I would recommend making reservations especially on Friday and Saturday. Dress code is casual. Will be returning again on our next visit to Chicago.
1 year ago
We don't live in Chicago, but visit fairly often. We always make a point to visit Frontera. We have been at least 5 times now and have never had a less than stellar experience. This visit, we went for "brunch" but it was really more late lunch for us. I honestly despise when places have brunch menus (because who wants to eat pancakes at 1:30pm?), but Frontera does a good job of balancing breakfast and lunch items. We ordered the topolo, blue agave, and mezcal marg. All delicious, but the topolo is always my favorite. We then ordered tortilla soup, guacamole, the chicken taquitos, and the carnitas to share. I love the tortilla soup and it's a must order any time we go. One time we ordered it at the bar for an app and then again at our table because it is THAT good. The broth is unreal. Eat it while it's hot. The guacamole was delicious, obviously just made and not sitting in the fridge all day. Always comes with salsas which are just as good. And the chips are fresh too and not m greasy. The taquitos were a perfect addition to our meal. Lastly, the carnitas were out of this world. I don't think we have ever ordered those before, but I'm sure it will be a staple from here on out. The meat was perfectly juicy and seriously just SO good. Can't wait to come back! Oh and I forgot to mention we saw Rick Bayless too! read more
4 years ago
8 years ago
As a SoCal native, I've had many, many delicious meals of Mexican food. I'm happy to say that Frontera Grill was delicious, albeit a bit pricey. I've heard about the long waits at Frontera, so I made a reservation a few weeks in advance. Our party of 6 was seated immediately for dinner on a Thursday. We all ordered different varieties of the Margaritas, which were deliciously strong. Out of the different ones I tried, my fave was the Blue Agave Margarita, which was shaken right by our table. Trust me when I say a drink here is super strong.... We ordered the Guac and Queso to share. Both portions were a little small for the high price you're paying ($10). I could definitely taste the freshness of the ingredients. For size reference, 3 of us had 1 portion of the guac, which seemed to be a good amount. For my main entree, I ordered the famous Oaxacan Carne Asada, which came with red chile-marinated prime ribeye. black beans, sweet plantains, homemade crema, fresh cheese, guacamole, and tortillas. The ribeye was well-cooked, and I enjoyed the accompaniments. However, the price of $35 was too high, in my opinion. I also tried my friend's Red Chile Seafood Stew, which came with Baja mussels from Rincón de Ballenas, dorado (mahi mahi), octopus, Florida shrimp, bay scallops, guajillo-chipotle broth, potatoes, chayote, and cilantro. The stew was spicier than we thought but delicious! There was actually quite a lot of seafood in the stew, so it was a good price at $29. Next time, I would probably order this instead. All of my friends seem satisfied with their entree selections, including the Tacos Arabes and Chile Relleno. While we all agreed that the food was delicious, we all thought that prices were too high. We also shared a dessert - some kind of ice cream brownie sundae. It was a good end to our meal, but again, priced too high. While I enjoyed my experience at Frontera Grill, I still think that prices are too high overall. But I'll still come back! And that's saying a lot as someone from SoCal! read more
Service: Good Quantity: Good Cleanliness: Good Food: Frontera Guacamole/ Taco I'm a big fan of Rick Bayless. I told my friend I have to eat at one of his restaurants when I visiting Chicago. Guacamole was usual however I was more impressed with the tomato salsa and serrano salsa. I can't stop dipping the chips with it. Friendly service, warm and inviting decorations, I felt happy to be there. Reservation is a must otherwise good luck waiting. I had build-your -own taco Al Carbon -Style. The picture doesn't justify the portions size; it was very filling. If you enjoy Mexican food, I highly recommended. I wish I can stay long enough to try all his restaurants. read more
3 years ago
We got a pickup order from here to treat ourselves after a rough day at work. When we opened the order up, the chicken was visibly raw. People make mistakes, but what's really frustrating is how inattentive the staff must have been for this to happen. It was cooked as a whole breast and then sliced. The person who sliced it must have seen it was raw and didn't care. Then whoever put the food together/packed it also must have noticed it and also did not care. The consistency here is also not great. When we order the same dish, sometimes we get black beans, sometimes we get these beans with pork in them that we don't like, sometimes it comes with guac, lots of times they forget the guac even though it's in the description, etc. It's kind of like food roulette. This restaurant is just too expensive and trying to be too nice for this. read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
Fantastic service. Exciting and fresh salsas, and cocktails. Try the papaya margarita (it's spicy), and anything with suckling pig. The desserts were beautiful and very good! Overall a little pricy, but your dollar goes a long way if you finish your plates (and tortillas ) read more
7 years ago
My first time hearing about Frontera Grill. One of the Big Bosses was coming to Chicago for a meeting and wanted to take The Team out for lunch. Someone suggest we should try Frontera Grill. Since I love Mexican food. There was no need for me to oblige or reject this free lunch. I most say this was an excellent choice for lunch. I love when I walk inside a restaurant and the atmosphere sets the perfect stage. The artwork was beautiful, the music was popping and the service was excellent. Nice comfort atmosphere to enjoy some good food, drinks and dessert. I was amazed to walk inside and discover it is owned by one of the most well known chefs Rick Bayless. When you walk inside over to the side on a shelf displays his famous cookbooks. Time to talk about the food and dessert. One word Delicious. We started off with the Ceviche Trio: Albacaore tuna, shrimp and scallop, and a yellowfin ceviche, each comes in a different sauce. I don't eat seafood but from everyone's reaction at the table it was delicious. Than came out the Frontera Guacamole with chips. I ordered the famous tortilla soup dark broth with pasilla, grilled chicken, avocado, artisan Jack cheese, homemade crema with crispy tortilla strips. This soup was super good that I wanted another bowl. The presentation was fun to watch. The waiter come and place the bowl in front of me with only the ingredients after he poured the hot steamy dark broth into my bowl. How Cool.... All the yummy flavors just blended right inside that bowl. I also ordered the chicken tacos. The tacos were ok. I had better in my life. Ok, you would of thought after all that good eating we would of been too full for dessert. Well you are quite mistaking. Everyone ordered a different dessert to share. Homemade ice cream Mexican vanilla bean with white rum over hot caramel. Chocolate pecan pie with Kahlua whipped cream, and Coconut Pearls. I had no glue about this dessert. creamy coconut pearls, blood orange guajillo sorbet, citrus salsa, and ruby grapefruit. Just too much going on for one dessert. Overall, I enjoyed the food, service, music and comfortable seating of this place. read more
8 years ago
Last time we had dinner at Frontera Grill was about 18 years ago. I don't remember much about it, only that I loved the food and wished we could go back some time. I am a big fan of Rick Bayless; I bought one of his cookbooks "Mexican Kitchen" 20 years ago, and it's still my reference for a great margarita. So a few weeks ago, when we were back in Chicago, I made sure we had a reservation to Frontera. Once again, everything was perfect; great atmosphere, delicious food and attentive service. Frontera's vibe is unique, with walls the color of guacamole, and lots of Mexican Folk Art. The food and the margaritas were perfect, as I remembered from my previous visit so long ago. I hope we find an excuse to go back to Chicago soon and have dinner there again! read more
4 years ago
The corn tortilla tacos were great and you could tell they were fresh. Fried fish for tacos was good, the tortillas came on the side so you could make your own taco, which was nice. Nothing special about the meal, but was good. However, two different people at the table got a chicken quesadilla and it was not good at all! The quality and taste of the chicken was not good in the quesadilla. Chips and salsa were good, but verry small portions and they don't give you nearly enough chips! The fried cheese was okay, but over seasoned. We had lunch and the menu was different than advertised. I would return to try the dinner menu, but would not return for lunch. read more
I've been a fan of Rick Bayless' products like the Frontera Lime Seasalt Tortilla Chips, so I was really interested in check out one of his restaurants. I showed up for lunch on a busy afternoon. Was immediately seated and they brought me water and the unsweetened ice tea I requested. I ordered the Al Carbon style chicken soft tacos. It came with wood-grilled sliced chicken breast, roasted poblano rajas, beans, and guacamole. The spicing on the chicken was perfect. A little heat and a lot of flavor. The chicken was cooked perfectly and juicy, with a little smoke from the wood grill. The poblano rajas added more flavor to the party. The beans were perfect with a nice smoky pork flavor and a good amount of cumin. The dish came with 4 handmade tortillas. It was perfect lunch size and super tasty. Service was excellent. Will be certain to make a return trip the next time I'm in town. read more
3 years ago
I've been meaning to go to Frontera for years. I went and ordered from the lunch menu. The ceviches was amazing!!! The carnes asade tacos were flavorful , well cooked, and a generous portion. The tres leches were a little too sweet for me, but pretty good. read more
8 years ago
I had an amazing night and dinner at Frontera Grill. Being Mexican, I consider myself a very tough grader, and I must say Frontera Grill has my Mexican stamp of approval. First of all, I highly recommend having a reservation. This place gets packed on any given night. I was fortunate enough to have a reservation and Was able to get seated way before my reservation. They do have a $15 valet and a coat check in upon arrival. Everyone was very welcoming a profesional. It really felt like I was entering someone's home. We started off with their Tortilla Soup and their Queso Fundido. The Queso fundido came with poblano peppers and a decent amount of chorizo. It tastes very good with their side of salsas and tortillas. The Tortilla soup was presented beautifully. They bring out the bowl with just their tortilla strips and they'll pour the broth over the strips. The tortilla soup came with chicken, avocado and jack cheese. It was also very tasty. The highlight of the night was their Oaxacan Carne Asada. A perfectly cooked and juicy medium rare, red chile marinated ribeye. It came with a side of guacamole, black beans and sweet plantains. It was all delicious and I definitely took advantage of their fresh tortillas and basically made myself tacos using the beans and guac and salsas. I can't wait to come back. I really do want to try everything they have to offer and will eventually accomplish that. Everyone was very professional, and delivered exceptional service through out the night. read more
9 years ago
Reservations are highly recommended. Without a reservation, according to the host, the wait could be 45 mins to 1.5 hrs. However, there is a bar area where you can wait. We had a reservation for 10pm and the place was definitely packed when we walked in. It's a small-ish restaurant with lots of bold colors, artwork, and an open kitchen. They also have a complimentary coat check. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, but not particularly attentive. They have beer, wine, cocktail, and margarita offerings, as well as some virgin drinks. Their house made limeade is outstanding. I opted for the margarita shaken table side and poured in a martini glass - and made with their limeade. So delicious and seriously dangerous! The champagne margarita was also good. The menu had a good number of options. It's was difficult to settle on what to get. Here's what we opted for: - oysters and ceviche - chef's choice guacamole - tamales - duck breast - striped bass (special) - carne asada brava - Mexican chocolate ice cream The oysters had a unique twist with an onion and hot pepper vinegar minongette, smoky chipotle hot sauce, and limes. The classic ceviche was alright. Not a lot of flavor, but everything was very fresh. The tropical ceviche was fabulous with lots of fresh and citrus flavors. The fiesta guacamole (chef's choice version) was unique and flavorful - though, very packed with toppings. Crunchy beets, pumpkins seeds, oranges, sprinkles, etc. It's a great twist on a classic. The tamales were thicker than expected, but excellently made. The entrees were all very solid choices. Everything was tender and flavorful. The carne asada was my favorite. And the mashed potatoes that accompanied the fish were also a favorite. We were stuffed, but couldn't pass on dessert. We were all used to Mexican chocolate being dark and spicy, but this Mexican chocolate was actually a very light chocolate with cinnamon. Still tasty, but not what we were expecting. The chocolate sauce that was served with the ice cream was incredibly delicious. All in all, a fabulous meal. Would've been 5 stars if not for the sporadic service. read more
7 years ago
Took advantage of restaurant week and enjoyed lunch here. Pleasant atmosphere, outstanding quick service and wonderful food. Shared the salsa and guac and started with ceviche... flavorful! I opted for the chicken mole poblano... DELICIOUS! My partner had the beef enchiladas which were slightly disappointing and lacked flavor-blah and lacking dish. Ended with the tres leches cake...unique and perfectly sweet! Partner had coconut pearls...a light desert with fantastic texture. We will definitely be back! Bar area was colorful and fun...might try seating there next instead of dining area. read more
3 years ago
Came back after several years as I had an amazing experience last time. Service was super attentive, quick and friendly. I was seated promptly as there was no wait on a Tuesday around 5:30 pm. Quesadilla app was delicious with a crisp fried shell and gooey cheese - served with a green salsa. Margarita size was very small for the amount you get - maybe 4 oz. Eggplant Milanesa entree really missed the mark. Although the individual components were tasty, the dish didn't make sense. It was sweet coconutty rice with salty breaded eggplant. No other sauce to add some spice or flavor. At $26, it was very disappointing. read more
7 years ago
3 years ago
3 years ago
I do not say this lightly, but this completely blew my expectations. I'm a vegetarian so I was a little worried about what options I had, but they actually have a separate vegetarian menu! The service was the best I've ever had at any restaurant. We never had to ask for anything. The staff was so friendly and our water was refilled constantly. The food itself was incredible. This was the best guac I had ever had. The mole was incredible, and the desserts were on another level. Truly the most perfectly executed meal I think I've ever had. read more
4 years ago
Something notable - our server asked about food allergies and then advised me accordingly. I do have allergies and I loved that they were on top of it without my having to ask! (It's scary how often a server will get a confused look when I ask...) Had the fish tacos - amazing! Seasoned perfectly, breading was light and fried without being oily, and the toppings were the perfect addition. We had guacamole as an appetizer and enjoyed that as well. Highly recommend! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Chicago restaurant week brought to me here. Great tasting food and friendly staff made the meal delightful. The attention to detail of the presentation and quality of food is not lost when eating here. read more
Have to add one more glowing review for the duck confit at Frontera Grill! Truly one of the most memorable bites that I have had in a while, and I would almost come back to Chicago from the West Coast just to eat more. It was the perfect meal, particularly after stepping off the plane. That, paired with a fresh margarita hit the spot. Guacamole and chips are always a top standard here, and my friend loved her Molé enchiladas. All these years later, still tried and true! read more
Wow...Rick Bayless' is amazing. What a perfect evening in Frontera Grill's test kitchen, with none other than Rick Bayless himself whipping up a tasting menu. It was a fantastic sampling of food I'd never try if I ordered from the menu. Im not quite sure all that I ate but do know my favorite was a pheasant dish that was fantastic. If you are looking for some creative Mexican cuisine , you got to try Frontera Grill read more
Great place with a really nice decor and some outdoor seating along the sidewalk. Our server was great. Fast, efficient, pleasant and able to discuss menu items in detail. Liked the wine list, it had a large amount to select from and a diverse list of wines. We shared a Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche Verde that was creamy and the shrimp and scallops were very tasty online with having a little spiciness. The menu does have a special of the day but we selected items on the monthly features. My Duck Breast, Xico mole was cooked perfectly and had some dried fruit and nuts along with the garlicky red bean mole. A really good choice and well executed meal. Desert had a short but nice selection of items. We split a Coconut Pearls what had peach salsa with a touch of habanero and local blackberry sorbet on top. A great way to finish our meal. read more
2 years ago
Frontera Grill was pretty disappointing, For all the great reviews and the raved about Rick Bayless high-end Mexican restaurant, the food was a little disappointing. The food is ok to great but lacked consistency. The service was mediocre. We arrived an hour early, had a snack next door and arrived on time. We were seated in a spacious booth seat. We ordered the ceviche trio ($ 24), carne asada brava ($ 29) and enchiladas de cochinita pibil ($19). The ceviche trio was the best part of the meal. The tropical ceviche was mango tuna with red onions. This was refreshingly sweet and delicious. I also liked the Frontera ceviche with Hawaiian albacore, lime and tomatoes. The enchiladas were ok. Unfortunately the "slow-cooked suckling pig cochinita pibil" was dry and lacked many of the flavors of cochinita pibil such as cinnamon, cumin and orange flavors. It just tasted like a slightly dry roasted pork. The carne asada brava was flank steak, which was a perfect medium rare with grilled knob onions. The green onion part was wrapped into a knot. The flavors were ok but a little bland. This is something that could be made at home. The best part of this dish was the sweet corn tamales. They tasted of sweet fluffy corn cakes. Unfortunately, the service was not great. One of servers tossed my plate in front of me like a frisbee instead of handing it to me or placing it down in front of me. Some of the servers were great- explaining a dish while placing it on the table. Our waiter was very nice. All in all, there are much better Mexican restaurants that you can spend your money on. Brave your own path to better Mexican food. read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
4 years ago
We enjoyed dining at Frontera Grill during Chicago Restaurant Week. The staff was professional and attentive. Their excellent service definitely made our first visit quite enjoyable and memorable. The albacore tuna in the Frontera Ceviche was fresh and amazing. The corn tamale was so creamy and savory. We ate the tasty and crunchy-coated skate wing in corn tortillas with shredded cabbage, garlicky black beans and tomatoes. The mushroom mixiote with garlic mojo, white sweet potatoes, caramelized onions and cheese was absolutely delightful. The creamy cuatro leches cake and the rich chocolate pecan pie bar finished off our lunch perfectly. read more
I haven't had upscale Mexican before. My typical Mexican food experience involves obscene amounts of cheese and sour cream. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But Frontera Grill was special -- while also being unpretentious. The service was very friendly. It felt more like a nice family-owned restaurant than a celebrity-chef hipster emporium. You probably don't need another lengthy play-by-play of the food, but I definitely want to give a shout out to the duck breast with mole. I don't particularly like duck, and this duck was perfectly cooked and tender, and the mole was so complex and addictively flavorful. The other dish that really stood out was the flan duo, especially the coffee flan. I typically like flan slightly more than I like duck, but this dessert was one of the best I've ever had. It came with sour cherries that were a perfect complement. Also good: the ceviche trio, which my daughter intercepted and turned into her entree. read more
5 years ago
We have been fans of Rick Bayless for years. We have eaten in many of his restaurants, met him at a special dinner in Ann Arbor, Michigan, attended a cooking class taught by him and traveled to Oaxaca Mexico after seeing his show based on the destination....We have never been disappointed and tonight was no different. Every morsel of our meal was scrumptious! The drinks were fabulous! The server was so helpful and wonderful! read more
5 years ago
More info about Frontera Grill
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Ask the Community - Frontera Grill
Has anyone ventured here with kids? I know it says it's not good for kids on the profile but I'm coming to Chicago with my family and really want to try it!!
We went with our 2-1/2 year old for lunch a few weeks ago. We also are from out-of-town and really wanted to try it. They had a high chair and it was a great experience. We had to keep the little guy entertained and fed him food we brought (didn't…
Do they have a bar where one can sit without a reservation and order from the full menu?
Yes. The bar and high top tables are first come, first serve; the full menu is available here, and there are seats at both the bar and high tops.
Is there a Happy hour?
think they had some 5 de Mayo thing ,starting 5pm . 5 beers 16.00 dollars.not certain,but overall sounded good.
I yelled food baskets in Chicago and this site turned up. Yet I see nothing here to suggest that. Ideas?
Umm, yeah they don't sell food baskets. But if they did, it would have chicken tortilla soup, carne asada tacos and margaritas. Not such a bad basket in my opinion.
Anyone know how much the valet parking costs?
Not sure about valet, but there is so much street parking available.
I have heard the place is overrated ? Any comments on alternatives in the same area?
Over rated how? It's always been authentic Mexican and they do an excellent job of representing the cuisine there. They are winning Michelin stars ( kitchen staff and food is comparable to Topolobampo and his other properties.). My husband is…
How flavorful is the Carne Asada?
I don't know if I can quantify it, but it is out of this world good. Everything there is.
Is this restaurant good for kids during lunch hours? & do they provide high-chairs?
Yes, they have high chairs booster seats and a kids menu that's a coloring sheet, they even give them crayola crayons.
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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
130 reviews that are not currently recommended
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